what a beautiful sight from tokyo. >> the olympic games going on. if you want to know more about the local athletes we have it all at nbc bay area.com. good morning. breaking overnight, she's out. simone biles withdraws from another event, the all-around competition, after the sudden exit from team competition that stunned her teammates and the world. >> it appears simone biles is leaving the floor. >> this morning, with individual events still ahead, will she compete again in tokyo or have we seen her final olympic moment? >> there it is. straight ahead, team usa gymnast and silver medalist jordan chiles and grace mccallum are here live. the weight of gold, the intense pressure facing elite

athletes. >> we should be out here having fun and sometimes that's not the case. >> the conversation about mental health getting renewed intensity this morning. we'll sit down with the greatest olympian of all time and the man who helped start it, michael phelps, here live. about-face, the cdc now urging everyone, even the vaccinated, to wear masks indoors, including children in school, where covid cases are surging. health officials pointing the finger directly at those resisting the shot. >> we've got to get to them. we've got to convince them to get vaccinated. >> just ahead, the new evidence people who received shot can still spread the virus. we have the latest and the new cases from coast to coast. democracy's dark day, emotional testimony from the officers who faced the january 6th mob at the u.s. capitol. >> i was electrocuted again and again and again. >> they outnumbered us 50

something to one. >> who they want held responsible and their message to those now denying what happened. all that, plus olympic thrill. >> what a race! >> team usa adding to its medal count overnight led by a one-two punch in the pool. >> katie ledecky to the wall, who will win gold, and here comes 20-year-old erica sullivan to pick up the silver. and a softball rivalry more than a decade in the making plays out on the world's biggest stage. >> sends one deep. a home run! >> we'll celebrate with team usa's newest medal winners today wednesday, july 28th, 2021. >> the greatest female swimmer of all time, katie ledecky, to the wall. >> the determination to step up and get it done. >> and that's the start we're

talking about. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today" at the olympic games with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb from tokyo, japan. and hey, everybody. good morning. welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on this wednesday morning. it's wednesday evening in tokyo and a lot has happened already. >> it has been an incredible, busy 24 hours. we've got more breaking news overnight from simone biles, the defending champion in the all-around competition now taking herself out of the event here in tokyo. and she hasn't yet said whether or not she will participate in next week's individual events. we're going to talk about that. and, of course, team usa's incredible silver medal win with these two. we've got jordan chiles in the house and grace mccallum. they are right next to us. we'll speak to them in just a moment. >> we cannot wait to talk to

them. they are some of the many olympians joining us this morning. we have members of team usa softball and some of the latest american swimmers to nab a host of medals in the last 24 hours. but first, nbc's tom llamas over at the gymnastics center with the latest breaking news about simone biles. tom, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. simone biles showed up to the men's all-around files despite everything she's going through. she was here to cheer on team usa. what happened yesterday, that vault, that moment that was only six seconds, but it rocked team usa and these olympics. simone biles posted on her instagram page a very personal account of everything she's

experienced. overnight, simone biles withdrawing from another major olympic event. the four-time gold medalist opting out of thursday's individual all-around. usa gymnastics announcing biles did it in order to focus on her mental health, adding, simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week's individual event finals. this latest bombshell coming after that dramatic stumble on the vault just yesterday. >> wow. >> with everyone watching her every move, biles leaving the competition. her exit from the women's team finals set off headlines around the world. >> it's been a long week. it's been a long olympic process. >> simone biles is leaving the floor. >> reporter: it was a shocking turn of events. >> i have never seen anything like this. >> usa gymnastics initially citing a medical issue. >> i'm sorry. i love you guys. >> reporter: biles returning to the floor not to compete, but to cheer her squad on to a silver

medal. biles, with her teammates by her side, telling hoda the real reason she was stepping back. >> physically, i feel good. i'm in shape. emotionally, that varies on the time and the moment, you know, coming here to the olympics and being the head star of the olympics is not an easy feat. >> reporter: biles telling reporters that the move was best for everyone. >> i knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job and i didn't want to risk the team a medal for kind of my screw-ups because they've worked way too hard for that. >> the women's gymnastics team said it's hard to compete in an arena like this without fans. >> i'm a little worried about how it's going to affect me when we get over there. >> the 24-year-old has been open about the pressure she's under, celebrating her teammates on instagram. writing in part, they stepped up when i couldn't. thanks for being there and me and having me back. as the gymnastics team leans on one another, team usa doing the

same in the pool. >> the greatest female swimmer of all time, katie ledecky to the wall who will win gold. >> reporter: american superstar katie ledecky winning the 1500 meter freestyle gold. her teammate, erica winning silver. >> i'm so glad we did the best possible. >> reporter: the university of virginia stars alex walsh and kate douglass wrapping up the silver and bronze in the 200 miter i.m. their teammates cheering on the victory. in men's basketball, the u.s. rebounding after losing their first game, blowing out iran by 54 points. the men's basketball side, they changed the starting lineup and that may have helped the team. they lost to france. they were able to destroy iran. and now next up is the czech republic. they are still in the middle hunt. let's take a look at the scoreboard right now in the medals count as it stands this morning. close in total medals and gold medals, but as you know, there's

a lot of olympics left here in tokyo. we look forward to all of it. that is the very latest from the gymnastics center. back to you guys over there in the studio. look how lucky we are. joining us now, we have grace mccallum and jordan chiles. two of team usa's gymnasts. they shined the other night in the team event. ladies, how are you? >> our hero. >> we are so pumped to see you. we cannot believe what you were able to do given what happened. i think simone tweeted my best friend got a silver. you guys are this close. so i was thinking nobody knows simone in this moment quite like you do. we were all worried about her. i think you were worried about her. >> yes. >> were you able to glean a little bit more about what she was going through? >> i did experience a lot of

different things going through that whole time, what she was going through was something that i kind of didn't want to experience. i was there for her. i supported her. i did try to tell her, look, you know how to do anything. this is you. this is your moment. it's all up to you. i really can't say a lot because, you know, she has to tell her own story. but all i know is i'm going to support her no matter what. i am her teammate. i'm her best friend. like she said, this is the moment that i think i have truly realized that i've gotten so much closer to her than i really thought. she's my ride or die. i'll forever be by her side. >> she mouthed the words during the competition i don't trust myself and that struck a lot of us and then you heard her say she didn't want to let the team down you know, she was worried that she was going on let the team down which do you think -- i mean, knowing her as well as you do -- played more into it? >> i honestly can tell you that she knows who she is so when she goes out there,

she's already done this before she's been an olympian multiple times. she's the g.o.a.t. for a reason. when she knows what she has to do, she will take herself into that spot of, okay, look, i don't want to harm anybody and, you know, at that moment in time, she was telling herself she didn't want to harm herself. so, you know, i was happy that -- i mean, we all understood what she was going through. we all understood everything that was happening we just support her. >> grace, what you guys did in that moment, nothing short of incredible there should be a special asterisk next to the silver medal as one of the hardest things that could be thrown your way. and you were first up. you get this news, and it's over to you and you're on the bars and go what was going through your mind >> i was really stressed because i knew that my routine probably set the whole mood for the rest of the meet. >> it did.

>> it did. >> so it was a lot of pressure my heart was beating about a million miles an hour and i was on the verge of tears. but i just knew i had to do my gymnastics, nothing more, nothing less >> and jordan, here you are. you weren't expecting to do the bar and beam you thought you would be filing your nails over there. >> yes >> and you nailed it did you surprise yourself? >> i did, but i also knew in my body that i could pull out everything i had i had to fill some humongous shoes out there. i did it for a reason. i did it for her she was with us the whole time literally the whole time >> you had the eye of the tiger. >> thank you >> when you guys nailed that silver, it felt like gold. it felt like gold to us. and i know simone was proud as can be watching her cheer lead >> do you guys want her to do -- she has the decision i know you want her to do what is right for her, but do you hope she will compete here at

the olympics and do an individual >> of course we do >> yeah, of course we do >> we just want what's best for her. >> whatever she puts her mind to she's simone for a reason. if she puts her mind to something -- she's not a quitter. you will never see simone just go out there and not do what she knows she can do >> we know that you guys -- it's kind of fun to be at the olympics and we saw you -- didn't we see them geek out? >> these are olympic silver medalists, but jordan spotted another famous person. >> another g.o.a.t >> michael phelps over here. >> oh, my god! >> jordan chiles, grace mccallum, michael phelps >> jordan, what do you think >> congratulations >> my mom is going to kill me. >> we'll let you guys meet and chat and get a picture, but we thought it would be nice for you guys to -- >> congratulations >> you're such an inspiration.

i know it's not like -- you're not even a gymnast, but just an athlete yourself, you're such an inspiration for a lot of people. so thank you >> how cool is that, michael >> that's awesome. >> we love you guys. >> thank you so much congratulations. >> thank you >> you made us proud >> look at michael >> i don't know where i'm supposed to be >> thank you so much >> we're going to have a lot more ahead with michael, by the way. >> a good conversation to have with michael let's turn to the big news back at home when it comes to the coronavirus. we have a big shift to tell you about regarding masks. >> good morning. with cases rising, the cdc is now recommending even fully vaccinated americans wear masks indoors in certain parts of the country. the move coming just weeks after lifting that same guidance nbc's gabe gutierrez joins us from the cdc's headquarters in atlanta. gabe, good morning >> reporter: craig, good morning.

this new mask guidance from the cdc is sure to catch the attention of millions of parents across the country because it recommends all kids, k through 12 wear masks inside the classroom that is re-igniting a fierce debate. this morning, federal health officials are defending the cdc's reversal on masks. once again, advising americans, even vaccinated ones, to wear them in public indoor spaces including schools in areas with high transmission. >> what was not as well understood is the capability of this delta variant to transmit so readily among people. >> reporter: the cdc says delta is linked to rare but rising numbers of breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people who could be carrying higher levels than originally thought. the unvaccinated make up almost all of hospitalizations and deaths >> people need to get vaccinated

that's the only way we're going to cut this thing off. nobody likes wearing a mask. >> reporter: but some officials are pushing back iowa's governor says telling fully inoculated americans to wear masks is counterproductive to our vaccination efforts and doesn't make sense the call for masks in schools, even among vaccinated teens, has ignited protests from virginia >> take the masks off our children >> to illinois >> i need to breath. >> reporter: parent ambria bear is fed up and has decided to home school her 11-year-old daughter how confusing of a time is it right now? >> i think it's very confusing it's hard to keep them in it all day. they get tired of it >> reporter: the white house is now strongly considering requiring all federal workers to be vaccinated against covid or to abide by strict protocols like regular testing craig. >> gabe gutierrez for us gabe, thank you. now to the congressional

investigation into the january 6th riot at the capitol. emotions were running high yesterday at the first hearing of the house panel looking into that siege officers who faced down those rioters testifying in chilling detail nbc's garrett haake was at that hearing. garrett, good morning to you >> reporter: hey, savannah, good morning. this first hearing of the committee investigating the january 6th attack on the capitol served as a clear reminder of just how brutal that battle truly was to protect the capitol and everyone working inside exhausted, surrounded and outnumbered. four police officers on tuesday describing in horrifying detail the battle they fought to protect the capitol. >> i was electrocuted again and again and again with a taser >> the rioters attempted to reach the capitol were shouting

"trump sent us." >> they outnumbered us 50 something to 1 so it didn't matter how many we defeated we just had to -- we had to hold on >> lawmakers shaken by what they heard. >> but you guys won. you guys held. >> reporter: the officers testifying before the first hearing of a special committee investigating the insurrection many of their colleagues watching from their posts as they relive the day's violence much of it captured on body-worn cameras. >> a chaotic melee ensued. they pushed through the line and engaged us in hand-to-hand combat >> officer harry dunn sharing the stunning physical and verbal attacks he endured >> one woman in a pink maga shirt yesterday, you hear this, guys [ bleep ] voted for joe biden. no one had ever, ever called me a [ bleep ] while wearing the uniform of a capitol police officer. >> npd officer michael fanone furious at those republicans downplaying the violence of that day. >> the indifference shown to my

colleagues is disgraceful. >> reporter: committee member liz cheney said she wants to know what was happening every single minute that day at the white house. this investigation appears to take many months to complete >> every american should hear that testimony, garrett. thank you very much. 17 minutes past the hour time to switch gears and get some weather it seems a little lightning-y. >> is that a world >> we've got thunderstorms to our north about 25 miles in fact, we have a severe thunderstorm advisory for central japan, tokyo, we're watching this system push in we will be watching showers and thunderstorms here in tokyo over the next several hours into thursday morning so we'll be watching this very closely. it may have an impact on what's been going on. closer to home, we have severe weather firing up, as well, coming across central minnesota. we have 25 million people at risk including a moderate risk

in the upper great lakes we're also looking tomorrow, this will push on to the east and thursday afternoon into the evening, we've got 32 million people at risk for severe weather happening. this system will be pushing as it's coming out of the midwest pushing in those strong storms late tonight, into tomorrow, past chicago as we move into thursday the flood threat will start to increase because we've got saturated soil and you look at this, we've got anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain into the great lakes, but also into the appalachians and in the northeast to mid-atlantic statates 1 to 3 inches as well. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds yeh, rightht. pepperoni pocketz, atatomic brownwnie, cucuckoo cruststiez... there's no promo. just great rates. and a side of rancnch. you're the man, man. when youou want the e real dedeal...like e a good neieig, state farm is there.

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. taking a look at our high temperatures today, it's still going to be in the upper 60s near the coast. slightly hotter for inland valleys. look at concord, livermore, as well as brentwood, reaching near 100 degrees, and low 90s for morgan hill today. we are going to see our trend going upward with some higher heat in our inland valleys going into the weekend. just slightly lower while san francisco will see highs near 70 degrees. >> that's your latest weather. this gets a little closer we're going to that's your latest weather this gets a little closer, we're going to your room >> nice and tight. coming up, we're going to have much more on simone's decision overnight to now withdraw from the individual all-around final here in tokyo putting an even brighter spotlight on the mental health of all athletes. and michael phelps is here live

he is uniquely qualified to talk about the pressures placed on star athletes. we'll get his reaction, his message to sim

we are back with a fully vaccinated crowd in new york and team usa versus japan softball >> the silver medalists will be joining us to talk about what's next for the team. er wild.d. but freeeedom means yoyou don't hahave to c choose justst one advenenture. you u get both.. introducining the wildldly civid all-new 3-3-row jeep grand chererokee l

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even insisisted he dididn't nd directctions da .. dan: okakay, i'm notot lost. m explororing. dadan: that sasaid, do youou w where i amam? from s select gas,s, streami, trtravel and m more eaearn 5% cashsh back thatt automamatical y adjujusts to youour top eligie spend catetegor , up to $5$500 spent e each bilg cycycle. a very good wednesday morning to you. thank you so much for joining us. it's 7:26. i'm laura garcia. here's a look at top stories including bay area children returning to classrooms starting today amidst concerns about covid cases. >> reporter: it is the first day of school for brentwood union schoolchildren. they are headed back to class in person, the majority of the 9,000 students in the district will be headed back to campus today. the state will require all california schoolchildren to wear masks while indoors, though masks outdoors will be optional. staff can go maskless if there are no students present. physical distancing only required while eating, not in

classrooms, and the state detailed screening and contact tracing for districts along with quarantine requirements. >> reporter: i'm in the south bay. the fire department has cleared the scene of a wildfire that is burning behind me here on the border of north san jose and millipedes. the fire started last night along coyote creek, burned 25 acres. there are no evacuation orders, but as you can see the fire sent up a big plume of smoke which could be seen for miles last night. the fire department was stretched thin because they had sent some of their people to fight the dixie fire that's burning in northern california. this fire here in the south bay another indication we may be experiencing some of the worst drought conditions that we've seen in 20 years in some parts of california. that's always concerning when we have hot temperatures, as well. kari's with the forecast. >> we are seeing fog near the coast. san francisco at the top of the sales force tower poking out above that fog. it is going to bring in cooler coastal temperatures, but our valleys will be hot.

>> thank you so much. we'll be back in about a half hour. hope to see you then. meantime, a live look outside.

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for difffferences yoyou can s, feel a and trust so you're always s a step aheh. all-around individual finals. simone biles was cheering her team on yesterday and now she's cheering the guys on today. you know, look at her. she's doing what simone does. she's pulling everyone together. >> overnight, of course, the star making news pulling out of the women's all-around to focus on her mental health. >> she's joining a growing list of elite athletes who are

growing up in the public eye. in a moment, we're going to speak to an athlete who knows all about that, michael phelps. he got that conversation going. but first, stephanie gosk. she joins us with more on this. >> in sports and especially at the olympics, we're used to athletes achieving superhuman feats. but simone biles is the latest competitor to unapologetically tell the world, i'm human, too. in the run-up to the games, there was one face we saw over and over again. >> simone! >> reporter: simone biles. gymnastics' biggest and brightest star with a shot at a record-setting six gold medals and a chance to add another spectacular skill to her game. but the athlete finally came down to earth. >> wow. >> it's been a long week. it's been a long olympic process. it's been a long year. >> reporter: simone withdrawing from her sport's biggest stage

citing her mental health. >> it's okay sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself because it shows how strong of a competitor and person that you really are rather than to battle through it. >> reporter: the gymnastics great just the latest athlete to bring mental health to the forefront. tennis phenom naomi osaka who lit the cauldron and was eliminated from competition tuesday famously pulled out of the french open this year revealing her struggles with depression and anxiety. >> i think the amount of attention i get is kind of ridiculous. no one prepares you for that. >> reporter: nba star kevin love opened up about his struggles writing last year, i was simply paralyzed with depression. >> it took five olympics for me to really see it. >> reporter: and for years, michael phelps has sounded the alarm about the growing mental health crisis, particularly among olympic athletes. to this day, he struggles with depression. >> i hope this is an opportunity for us to jump on board and to

blow this mental health thing even more wide open. it is so much bigger than we can imagine. >> reporter: with the thrill of gymnastics also comes serious risks. the sport can be dangerous, especially if you are not 100% mentally focused, which can lead to catastrophic injuries. >> this is simone biles. i think she's going for it. so whether or not simone returns to competition, her legacy will be etched in gold, telling hoda earlier this year she hopes to be a voice for change in her sport. >> simone, 50 years from now, people will say your name and you'll be in some history books. what do you want to be remembered as? >> hopefully for taking the sport to higher depths and also for making a change for the newer generations to come. >> reporter: usa gymnastics is speaking out in support of simone, as well, releasing a

statement saying we wholeheartedly support simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many. jade carey will take simone's place in the individual all around tomorrow night. >> steph, thank you. >> joining us now, michael phelps, the most decorated olympian of all time. and he more than anyone can relate to the pressures felt by simone. michael, good morning. you got this conversation going. you had a documentary called "the weight of gold." you know what that feels like on your shoulders and so does simone. what was your thought when you first heard this news? >> first, i wanted to make sure she's okay. it has to be difficult having something like that happen in a competition. i don't know if that's ever happened for me. but also, i think on the other side, this is an opportunity for us, all of us to really learn more about mental health, to all help each other out.

for me, i want people to be able to have somebody that can support them who is nonjudgmental and who is willing to hold space. so these are -- there's a lot that we can do to help one another and we have to start. we can't brush it under the rug any more. >> these issues really do affect athletes. if you had an issue with it, michael, it would mean your time wouldn't be as good. if naomi osaka has an issue, maybe she loses the set. if simone biles loses her confidence, loses her mojo, she's up up in the air doing those flips, it could mean a devastating injury for her. it's really kind of a different things. it's not about a bad performance. it's about doing harm to your body. and she talked about being afraid. >> and that's -- yeah. that's difficult. it can be overwhelming, especially during competition. i mean -- i just had a brain fart. sorry. completely out of it.

>> but i think there's something more than uh-oh, she'll have a bad performance because people at home may be watching this and go, i don't get it. why did she all of a sudden take off and pull out of the competition? >> it's difficult, but i think the only way that we're able to be 100% our authentic self is if we can take care of our mental health and our physical health at the same time. her being able to do this shows what she wants to do moving forward. >> i would love you to take on -- i know there are people that are probably sitting out there probably on their couch let's face it, and saying, well, wait a minute, she's an olympic athlete. that's her job. she's supposed to get out there and perform under pressure. >> but we're also humans. >> so what would you say to them? >> exactly that. we're human beings. we have emotions, we deal with things just like everyone else does, but the spotlight is on us. we're supposed to carry all this stuff and it's difficult. in my opinion, i would say we want support.

obviously, we feel the love from everybody else and that's the best. >> can you talk just to the pressure simone is feeling? there are only a couple of athletes who know what it's like to be on the front page of every paper, on every magazine, in every commercial, every ad, the world watching you. you are defining the olympic games. >> pressure comes from absolutely everywhere and everybody deals with it completely different. i only now how others deal with it. for me, it's something that excites me. i'm somebody that puts more pressure on myself than any other human being can on this planet. i grew up in the olympic space. this is what i love. this is my career. so i almost thrived off pressure more than anything else. >> you know what? when we talked about "the weight of gold," the conversation

wasn't necessarily about the performance pressure. it was about what happened when the lights go down. it was about what happened when everybody goes home and they weren't asking for autographs anymore. and that's a good conversation to have, too. after the lights go down, it's over and there are so many people that look up to you. what's your advice to them? you really helped people with this conversation. >> the one thing i've learned is keep a routine if that's something you have. be at the pool this time to swim. here and there, you're sleeping, you're eating, you're doing that. for me, it was hard to get a routine after i was done competing. so take care of yourself. when you look at an olympic games, you build, build, build for four years and then you get to the end and you're like, who am i? what is my identity? if you can find out what you want to do next, chase it. we chase our goals and dreams better than anybody. that's our job. try to win an olympic gold medal. if our dreams and goals are

something that excite us, it should be easy to get back on to that routine. >> well, you found a real purpose for this. >> trying. five years ago, i knew kind of what it was going to be like, i guess a little bit, but now fast forward to today, i had no idea it would be as big, mental health, as big as what it is now. >> you know what's funny? i'm looking at you and behind you the whole usa softball team is mouthing oh, my god, michael phelps. pretty cool, right, guys? >> congrats. >> you're the man. that's right. >> you're all in the same club now. >> michael, thank you so much. we love having you here. and good segue to the competition. the men's individual all-around is live on the nbc sports app right now. simone cheering on team usa for

the gymnastics. watch it on your phone. scan the qr code on your screen, that's how that all works. full coverage in primetime on nbc. >> two ogs, i know it's original gangster, but it's old grandmas. >> but if they're grandmas, what are we? >> they're in their 20s, ogs. we're going to talk to team usa softball team about their epic rivalry against team japan. the sport returned to the olympics after 13 years. we were waiting a long time for us. so happy t to have thehem with .

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inin two minututes oror less. sends one deep and janie reed robs her of a home run and pulls it back into the yard.tot. >> come on, come on, we're back with one of the highlights for team usa softball in the gold u.s. returns to the stage with the u.s. renewing its quest for medal game >> after a 13-year absence the u.s. returns to the stage with the u.s. renewing its quest for gold >> in the end, japan took the gold, but you can proudly call team usa silver medalists. how lucky are we the entire team is with us today. we've got everybody with us and we're so happy to have you guys. monica, let's start with you 13 years, we've been waiting for this moment. it was a long time coming. how did it feel to be in that gold medal round >> it was a long time coming, but this journey has been

incredible and it shows the growth of softball and how far we have come as women in this sport. it's just incredible beyond this stage with these 18 women, the 15 on the field. it is an incredible feeling and so many emotions of joy and happiness. >> i love this story because softball has been out of the olympics for 13 years. >> why >> we'll get to that but it's been 13 years, so last in 2008. the last gold medal game was usa versus japan two people were there. monica abbott and cat osterman >> come on, cat. >> they were there and they faced the same pitcher on the japanese side. it was an epic rematch cat, what was it like to square off again? >> it was exciting this is a completely obviously different team 13 years later. the energy we had going into that game was just so high starting off, just wanted to give us the momentum, get us out there rolling. we were all ready for it

the matchup and the fact it was ueno and myself again starting, ironic but we thrive in those moments and that was everything we wanted to see in those moments the best of the best to win gold >> you guys have left such a legacy for people. what do you hope future athletes -- because kids are going, oh, my god, i want to be them what do you tell them? >> for our sport to have this platform and for kids in our sport to be like you can go out and play a game of failure and succeed and to continue to inspire our game cat and monica have rode this thing out for 13 years we're not done we're trying to get back to l.a. in 2028. >> raise your hand >> i'm there i'm there. >> all right say hi to your mom real quick. >> hi, mom i love you so much >> y'all want to say hi to your moms >> we love you >> we love you >> all right

congratulations, kids. >> we love to watch you play you guys are awesome all right. let's get a check of the weather with al. it apparently is about to start pouring. >> synchronized hi mom one, two, three. >> hi, mom >> all right everybody got it in. we're watching this line of thunderstorms coming in. we'll have to skedaddle downstairs but let's take a look and show you what's happening closer to home, around the country scattered storms through the southeast. high humidity in the gulf. fire risk continues out west hot in the northern plains and a severe had a lot of rain and lightning there in tokyo. here it's been dry, and our temperatures today are going to be heating up. we're headed for the mid 90s today and the next few days. a few hitting 100 degrees. for the weekend, slightly lower with upper 80s in san francisco. we're waking up to fog, and we'll see some peeks of sunshine today, highs in the upper 60s. we'll see more of the same as

this weather pattern continues at least through next tuesday. how can softball not continue to be in the olympics. go, l.a. >> come on >> it has to happen. al, thank you. we just talked with michael phelps, and craig, you sat down with the new face of u.s. swimming >> his name is caeleb dressel. he's back in the pool tonight going for gold number two of these games. what he revealed to me about handling preressure, expectatio and chasing a phelps-like medal haul h here in tokokyo our coconversationon coming upup but t first, thehese messageges. available e pro power r onboad to work itit out in baback. tougugh this smamart can onlne cacalled f-15050.

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abbvbvie may be e able to he. good wednesday morning to you. it is 7:56 now. i'm laura garcia. here's what's happening now -- >> reporter: it is the first day of school for brentwood union schoolchildren, they are headed back to class in person. the majority of the 9,000 students in this district will be headed back to campus today. the state will require all california schoolchildren to wear masks while indoors, though masks outdoors will be optional. staff can go maskless if there are no students present. physical distancing will only be required while eating, not in classrooms, and the state detailed screening and contact tracing and quarantine requirements. good morning, i'm sierra johnson in san francisco. i've been able to crunch data from the american academy of pediatrics, and the biggest takeaway is cases among children and teens are on the rise.

just to give you an idea, 38,000 new cases of covid were found in children and teens here in the united states which brings the total to more than four million infections since the start of the pandemic on a weekly basis. children and teens accounts for 14% of the weekly infections. let's get a check of your microclimate forecast this morning with meteorologist kari hall. >> we are definitely seeing those microclimates because our inland valleys are going to be heating up today. starting out with clouds, but look at the highs -- reaching into the mid 90s. we'll see more of this as we go into the end of the week. and some spots, the usual hot spots like brentwood, hitting over 100 degrees. for the weekend, it gets slightly lower with highs in the upper 80s for most part. for san francisco, we've seen the fog this morning. highs reaching into the upper 60s. and it just stays on repeat going into next week. laura? >> all right. thank you so much. thank you for joining us, as well. another local news update for you in half an hour.

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it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, breaking news it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, breaking news sitting out, simone biles withdraws from the individual all-around competition just one day after bowing out from the team event citing mental health. so what does this mean for team usa and will she compete again in these games plus, swimming sensation. craig sits down with gold medalist caeleb dressel about life in and identity of the pool >> people want to dream up this big, giant goal without putting the steppingstones along the way. for me, that is what gets you to that big goal. and we'll talk to his proud family about his journey to tokyo.

and road trip. we can't go outside in tokyo, but we can still see tokyo from japanese landmarks to the places that feel like home >> oh, krispy kreme! get out of here. they've got a krispy kreme in tokyo. are you kidding me >> come take a peek through our very own window to tokyo, today july 28th, 2021. >> from miami, cincinnati. >> and houston >> to watch the usa go for gold. >> we're the hayes family in maryland thanks "today" show for inviting us to cheer on team usa. best of luck in tokyo! >> from idaho. >> to the "today" show >> to tokyo. we'll be cheering for team usa all along. >> go, team usa! >> and good morning, everybody

we are in the spirit welcome back to "today" on wednesday morning. we've moved inside we've had a spot of weather. we're so glad to have you with us, starting your day with us. and how about this, a special shout-out to all of these team usa fans on the plaza. they're partying it up the biggest fans in front, jenna and chanel they're cheering on the athletes we feel your love here in tokyo. >> we're going to check in with them here in a few minutes this is a group down at universal orlando. the family of swimming sensation caeleb dressel we'll hear from family in the next hatch hour. >> that's a good looking bunch right there. simone biles withdrawing from another competition and overnight, an american swimming legend roars back for her first gold at these olympics nbc's sam brock joins us now with a closer look

good morning, sam. >> reporter: hoda, guys, good morning. look, there's an interesting twist to all of this simone biles has been in the building cheering on the men during their all-around competition. it is the same competition we found out just hours ago that she is withdrawing from. now the question is her participation in other individual events, that is up in the air. this morning, another seismic shift for team usa simone biles revealing she won't partake in the all-around competition on the heels of a dramatic day and the sheer shock of seeing biles struggle >> just kind of got lost in the air. i've never seen her do something like this. >> reporter: and then bow out of team competition >> i'm sorry i love you guys, but you're going to be just fine. >> reporter: usa gymnastics explaining in a statement that biles withdrew from the all-around in order to focus on her mental health. simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in

next week's individual event finals biles telling hoda there was never anything wrong with her physically >> physically, i feel good i'm in shape emotionally, that varies in the time on the moment >> reporter: team usa shining without their anchor, nabbing silver in the event. >> what you guys did in that moment, nothing short of incredible i mean, there should be like a special asterisk next to the silver medal as one of the hardest things that can be thrown your way and you were first up >> it was a lot of pressure. my heart was beating about a million miles an hour and i was on the verge of tears. but i just knew that i had to do my gymnastics, nothing more, nothing less >> jade carey will swap in for the all around elsewhere, another all-time great in the pool. >> look at katie ledecky go. >> reporter: one of swimming's most accomplished athletes, katie ledecky ran away with the women's marathon debut at the olympics for the 1500. >> katie ledecky is even more excited about erica sullivan

than even herself. that's the kind of teammate katie has always been. >> reporter: embracing teammate erica sullivan who surged to win silver and a pair of college classmates, alex walsh and kate douglass >> as the longtime friends and teammates at virginia, walsh and douglass get silver and bronze >> reporter: couldn't believe their fortune in the 200 im and neither could their fans and fans of men's basketball also had something to cheer about with team usa trouncing iran by more than 50 points. that was their first win for this olympics. as for simone biles, other individual events are schedules for sunday through tuesday which means the waiting game is on back to you. >> thanks so much. >> a bright spot for team usa has been the performance of our young swimmers

joining us with medals in hand, welcome to all of you. >> welcome >> we are just so proud of you erica, i'll start with you you made history today this is the first time women have been able to raise that grueling epic 1500 meters. it was a thriller. a one-two finish you were just behind katie ledecky. i think katie in the pool, i really do think she was happier for you than she was for herself. >> it was so exciting. >> that was a beautiful moment what did it mean to you? >> it's awesome that i get to do this and set a landmark for women and do it in japan where i have half my family. it means a lot it's always an honor to do it beside katie because katie will forever be in the history books. the fact that i get to be a small footnote to that is awesome. >> erica, you're in the history books, too i wish i had three hours to tell your story reading about you, it touched me so much. you lost your father when you were 16. he was a collegiate swimmer. you have family here in japan.

your grandfather was an architect who built some of these olympic venues this must be so meaningful to be here and to have competed and done so well you blew everybody out of the water. >> it's surprising and it's really cool that everything happened to line up and worked out. my mom would have loved to be here, but she's at home in vegas cheering us on >> alex and kate, look at you two. back-to-back wins? we were watching this race and watching the two of you come in and they kept saying, are they going to do it what did it feel like when you learned you guys had nailed silver and bronze? >> that was the goal going in. we both wanted to medal. i just remember looking up at the scoreboard and seeing two and three and just a moment of pure joy, honestly and our coach was sobbing. so i'm sure he was really excited, as well >> all the wahoos at uva are going crazy.

what's the cheer >> we have the good old song i sing at football games >> how does it go? >> i'm not very good at it i didn't get to go to many football games >> i know the folks at uva are excited and so is your family. i don't know what was better, the race itself or watching the folks at home when you finally got a chance to look at that video. it was hard. you all are competing in empty stadiums, but what is it like watching that? >> it's so exciting to see all of our friends come together and be excited for the two of us i love it. it's so exciting . >> congrats. that's awesome >> have you been sleeping with your medal every night what's your relationship with your bronze right now? >> you know, after the 400, i still had some races to go so i tucked it away. i kept it in a safe place. but now that i'm done, i've been able to go around with it today during media and i'm very proud of it. it's a beautiful medal >> you should be and you were in the relay today and you nailed it.

i know it didn't ultimately turn out how you guys wanted, but your leg was phenomenal. >> thank you >> congratulations to you. you all are incredible >> don't take those medals off wear them. >> yes everywhere you go. >> congrats. >> thank you so much it's great to have you here. coming up next, craig's conversation with usa swimming cocaptain caeleb dressel what he's revealing about his joururney to bececome the nenewe of the s sport, and d we'll tal his proud d family livive comin afteter this rarashid i'm putttting a bow wn itit! wow. even sneakaking away f for a y rashshida. rashida: shhh! i'i've earned d ? fromom home imprprovement, drugststores, select t travel and d more earn 5% cacash back ththat auautomaticalllly adjujusts to youour top eligi spspend categogory, up to o $50t each bililling cyclele. cranky-pated: a bad mood related to a sluggish gut.

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he was a member of that 4x100 freestyle relay. but if you ask dressel, the only person he's competing against is himself. >> caeleb dressel going awfully fast >> reporter: when you're if fastest swimmer in the world, your water is both safe space and performance stage. at just 24, caeleb dressel already has two gold medals from the olympics in rio. now, as much of the world focuses on how many medals he could bring home from tokyo, dressel is staying focused on simply going in a straight line. you've said in the past that swimming is just getting from point a to point b that would seem to be a bit oversimplified no >> i think simple is good. that's why i enjoy swimming. it's very primitive, very simple let me see if i can go faster than you no judging, no scores, just time, let me get my hand on the wall faster than you

>> you mentioned simplicity. one of your hallmarks. you talk about engaging in simple tasks picking up trash, writing in a journal. what is it about those simple tasks, do you think, that help you in the pool? >> i think greatness is found within mundane-ness. those boring ticks throughout the day. i call it putting pennies in the tank my coach calls it putting tools in the toolbox that's where greatness is found. people want this big giant goal without the steppingstones for me, that is what gets you to that giant goal. >> born and raised in florida, dressel started swimming in grade school how did caeleb dressel get into a swimming >> i ask that question a lot, actually i think the sport chose me i couldn't step away from the sport. i love the challenges that it slows my way the water teaches me a lot about myself >> what does it teach you?

>> it will take you to some points mentally. you have to find out quickly who you are, what you're made of and move on from it, made me a better person, better swimmer, better athlete >> reporter: as he improves, the olympic star's comparisons grow to u.s. swimming legend michael phelps i read that you were not wild about being compared to america's greatest olympian, michael phelps is that true >> i don't think it's fair to michael. >> why not >> he's a better swimmer than me i'm completely fine with saying that that is not my goal in the sport is to beat michael i'm a very different athlete than michael he was at a whole other level. i'm fine if people want to compare me to him. i have some goals that i would like to accomplish to where i can consider myself to be great and i don't to compare myself to michael to consider myself great. >> reporter: you won't find dressel combing social media to see what people are saying about his chances in tokyo i read you took all social media off your phone you use instagram about 15

minutes a day. is that right? >> yes i didn't use it at all during trials i opened it up after trials, made my post if it were up to me, i wouldn't have any of it but it is fun to share some stuff with some people >> reporter: did you find it was distracting? >> i don't like having things i don't need i talk to people more now without it so it's been great >> reporter: for a man who spends so much time in the water, caeleb dressel is grounded that may be due in part to megan heila, dressel's high school sweetheart they got married this past february how has marriage changed you >> it has been really fun with megan. that's the first word that comes to mind. it's parts that have been challenging, for sure. there's parts to where i've had to step up my game, i've had to be a better husband, a better man because i want to do that for her. >> reporter: better. the word seems to be dressel's motto, keeping time with every stroke, every lap, every march to the medal stand what would you consider success

in tokyo >> i if i learn n something g fe meet to move forward into next year, if i learn something about myself as a man, as a person, as an athlete, as a swimmer, i'll be happy with it >> reporter: what about the medal stand? you didn't even mention the medal stand. >> no, it's not about that for me i don't keep any of that stuff you guys should be jealous i get to do the fun part which is racing. i don't need a piece of medal to remind me of that. i got to enjoy it. >> caeleb dressel. by the way, seems to be enjoying the ride so far and there seems to be two distinct sides to him, as well. there's a super serious competitor, uber focused on those meets. then there's the fun-loving florida boy who loves to collect legos. >> that's a cool little hobby. >> and i love how zen he is. i mean, he's a competitor, but, you know -- >> takes a great deal of pleasure in the simple >> caeleb's family is with us now. they're at universal orlando where they're watching him compete.

>> we have his mom and dad, his wife and sister. good morning to all of you >> good morning. >> that's a good looking family, too. megan, let me start with you by the way, congratulations. the pandemic wedding was wonderful, i heard >> thank you >> what is he like outside the pool what is he like at home? what is he like as a husband >> he is -- he is just a fun-loving goof ball like he's like -- that's just the best way to describe him is the all-american goof ball, loves to have fun, like anything outside. he just -- yeah. his energy is so contagious. >> mike and christina, mom and dad, you guys have been watching him in the pool for a lot of years now. you spent a lot of time at swim meets, but you've never watched him like this. what has it been like? he's had some races, he's won a gold medal he's going for that individual

gold tonight what has it been like to watch from afar? >> well, we would much rather be there. it's a lot different, but this is a really nice plan b. they really put on a nice -- took care of us, put on a nice show we really appreciate the opportunity to come here and watch him. so it's a good second choice >> agreed. >> christina, you know what was cool we just heard your son say he didn't care about medals and he just loves the race. but that really struck us because there was that great moment at the meet when he took the medal that he won and he threw it to his fellow teammate, brooks curry, who ran in the prelims. i mean, it was a proud moment for us watching him. tell us what you were thinking when you watched this moment unfold >> i'm not surprised that's who caeleb is he's always thinking of others i wasn't surprised but to me, that means more than

fast swimming. as a mom, that touches my heart. >> caelin, what was he like as a big brother? do you guys have that brother/sister thing going on? >> we're getting into it now >> here we go. >> well, he's actually my little brother. he's just a lot bigger i can still beat him up, though, so it's fine >> spoken like a true sister >> no, i actually -- no, caeleb is the little brother that i get to look up to. he's full of wisdom and grace and love and compassion. he's always looking to give to other people and he's just the best people say it all the time but he really is and this is coming from somebody who gets in lots of fights with him. i love him so much he's great >> megan, he said something to me that stayed with me, by the way. he keeps two journals. he keeps his training journal

with all of his times and whatever he's doing in the pool. and then he keeps a traditional journal that captures his feelings and emotions that day and he said he tears that page up every day, but he keeps the actual swimming journal. >> he keeps the swimming journal, for sure. but his -- i don't know what he does in his office, honestly but he'll write down his -- he'll write his thoughts down. and i do know whenever the journal is full, it goes in the trash and it's gone. he closes the page and it is done so whatever he puts in there, it's out of his brain and that's where it stays >> i know you're newlyweds, megan, but how are we feeling about the lego hobby >> you know, it makes him happy and keeps his busy sometimes >> i love it >> it's a good outlet. a good stress reliever >> thanks, guys. we know you'll be watching tonight. we all will be

>> it's easy to see why caeleb dressel is a favorite now after talking to that group. thank you. time o you can watch caeleb go for the gold live during nbc's primetime olympic coverage that's later tonight turning now to the weather, a little stormy around here, but how is it around the rest of the country? >> not too bad in fact, let's take a look some wet weather down through florida. we're looking at some heavier showers and thunderstorms firing up through the upper great lakes where we've got a risk of severe weather there today. the heat is on we're talking about air temperatures where it's going be in the 90s to 100s from the plains all the way down to the gulf and into the weekend. the feels-like temperatures will be triple digits high humidity through texas all the way into the midwest severe outbreak continuing today. we're looking as we get into the upper great lakes. fire risk continues in the good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. taking a look at our inland temperatures it's going to be

hotter today. in some spots in the mid-90s, even up to 100 degrees. this is the weather pattern we'll be stuck in through the end of the week and only slight cooling for the end of the weekend into early next week. for san francisco, we've seen the fog rolling by but there will be some clearing later this afternoon. and for the next couple of days we'll see those high temperatures reach near 70 degrees. you may see the fog returning in a very thick layer as we go into the weekend into early next week. and a big thumbs up to our crew for making such a quick shift from five floors up all the way to down here >> exactly boy, the rain thank you. straight ahead, how do you see the sights here while honoring the safety protocols? we figured out a fun way to play tourist. we hopped d on a bus our tour f from the ststreets of tokyo.o. whatat we saw afafter your l lol news

a very good wednesday morning to you. thanks for joining us. it's 8:26 right now. i'm laura garcia. gilroy marking two years since the garlic festival shooting rampage. three people died, 17 others were injured. the gunman took his own life as police moved in. a service is taking place this morning at christmas hill park and a vigil is planned for later today outside the gilroy center for the arts to remember those victims. a statewide flex alert taking effect today from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. you're asked to conserve electricity to try to relieve stress on the power grid. that means setting the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using major

appliances and turn off all unnecessary lights. always got to remind the kids to do that. it's going to be hot today. >> it's going to be hot for some of the valleys. we are starting out with low clouds over san jose, but headed toward 86 degrees, 100 in brentwood, and concord, expect a high of 97. these temperatures are going to be hot, at least through the end of the week. laura? >> thanks so much. and thank you for joining us. another local news update for you in about a half an hour. try to keep cool if you're inland today.

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see it all happen on "today." >> y'all want to say hi to your moms? >> we love you. tomorrow, katie ledecky and caeleb dressel back in the pool on the hunt for gold. at the tokyo olympics, "today" is where the games begin. >> 8:30, guys. 8:30 at home on a wednesday morning. 9:30 p.m. here in tokyo. look who has joined us. the newest member of our nbc "today" family. we've been counting on him. our mascot is here. >> i love her. inspired by japan's love of mascots, so we decided why not.

let's get one of our own. all of you at home are helping us pick her name. >> a lot of you are helping out. nearly 21,000 votes in so far. here is where things stand. 32% so far for kio quma. that means "today" bear. >> that's the front-runner. >> asa which means morning, 17%. 19% for mochi. we all know mochi means sweet rice cake. and leading a close race, hinode. that means sunrise. 33%. >> i thought mochi was going to get it. >> it's still close, though. >> you can vote for todaisy. >> head to today.com to make your pick and we will reveal our mascot's name. >> we're bringing her home. >> we are? >> yeah. the end of the week. >> i already bought her -- she

is sitting next to me on the plane. >> meanwhile, our fully vaccinated crowd is back home cheering on every member of team usa and our two head cheerleaders, jen and sheinelle leading the watch party. >> hi. how are you? happy wednesday. we have an awesome crowd here on the plaza. we've been talking to people all morning long. we have people from utah, texas, idaho, texas, minnesota. >> do you want to meet some? >> we're coming. oh, hi, guys. thank you for coming. can we introduce you to an awesome mother/daughter duo? this is gayle and her incredible daughter, teyana. you guys are here just for this. 24 hours? >> we are. i literally flew in last night from work. >> this is a mother/daughter trip. wait, somebody is from wait, somebody is from florida, somebody is from d.c. >> orlando, florida. >> orlando, florida, and d.c. and you guess met to be here on the "today" show. and to top things off, you're a nurse, right? >> yes, i am. >> let's give her a round of

applause. she's on the front lines. in fact, i hear when you leave here, you're back on the front lines, if you will. >> yes. >> so because of that, i think they deserve a medal, don't you think? >> they deserve two medals. >> it's not quite as heavy, but we appreciate you guys. >> thank you so much. you all made our day. thank you all for coming, people from all over, and we would love for you to join us here if you'll be in town between now and next friday, august 6th. come on down to today.com/plaza for all the details. and now let's send it back to tokyo where we have -- al roker! >> yes. >> all right. >> like that intro. very nice. thank you, guys. thank you so much. let's show you what we've got going on starting off, of course, we are going to look ahead to the weekend. friday, i should say. less humid around the great lakes, but hot and humid down through the south. pop-up storms out west continuing that monsoonal moisture through the southwest on saturday. nice day in the northeast and the mid-atlantic.

heat continues down south. sunday -- sunday! scattered showers and storms down through the southeast. localized flooding, unfortunately. rockies into the southwest. and some showers in northern new england. that's what's going on around the -- oh, well, we're going to -- that's what's going on. i was going to do the -- >> whatever. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. taking a look at our inland temperatures it's going to be hot today. our highs reach into the mid-90s, some spots close to 100 degrees. as we go toward the weekend, slightly cooler and not really a change in san francisco. we may see a little bit more sunshine starting tomorrow, but we are still with low clouds and fog each morning. afternoon sunshine, breezy winds and our highs reaching near 70 degrees by the end of the week and upper 60s for the start of the new workweek. >> announcer: today's medal count is sponsored by mattress

firm. and it is time for a check of where things stand in our medal count here in tokyo. team usa extending its lead over china, japan and the russian delegation. >> yeah. >> way to go. coming up next, guys, inside our tourist adventure, seeing this beautiful city by bus. and you will never guess the most surprising sight of all.

and welcome back we are absolutely loving getting to know tokyo, even though it's mostly been from afar. >> it's a long-distance relationship with safety in mind, we decided to get on a bus and tour the city streets and we learned that even with a language and window barrier, you can still make a lot of

connections. we'd barely gotten three feet outside of our hotel and we are already feeling festive. it's our first tour of tokyo and the kodo taieko drumming band has come to see us off "kodo" means heartbeat in japanese and our hearts are pumping. you guys, we can't go outside in tokyo, but we can still see tokyo. >> out this window >> a beautiful window. let's go >> let's run some red lights come on! >> it may be a little small and cozy on the bus, but it's a big city with a lot to see >> oh, look, guys, tokyo tower >> oh, wow it does look like the eiffel tower. >> from a japanese iconic landmark to an icon of another kind >> oh, krispy kreme. are you kidding me >> they have a krispy kreme in midtown.

why are you excited about that >> because is tokyo. >> do they have a "hot now" sign >> let's face it, after being separated from much of tokyo since we arrived, we're excited to be among the people, even behind a plate of glass. >> hello, tokyo. >> one wave. >> hi. >> hello >> and if waves are what we're looking for, waves are what we're about to get at shibuya crossing the biggest pedestrian crossing in the world every two minutes, 3,000 people cross this street. >> hi, tokyo >> and in our minds, every single one waved back. >> hi. >> hello >> oh. >> oh, she's a cutie >> everybody is so nice. >> after all that waving, we are parched. luckily, we're next to the busiest starbucks in the world and our japanese production

assistant, anna, has our backs with tokyo frappacinos with a special ingredient called coffee jelly only made in the city of tokyo. >> i've never had a chewy starbucks drink. yum. i'll be there in a minute. i'm still chewing my coffee. >> we're all caffeinated are you guys ready for the next stop >> yes let's go >> 20 minutes later, we arrived at shinjoji temple, the oldest temple in tokyo when we spot two familiar faces two more of our local production assistants, maria and wesako, come to meet us watching traditional kimonos worn for summer festivals >> hi. >> you look so beautiful >> wow >> the "today" show colors >> they also have another sweet surprise >> what is in them what are they? >> so there's red beans in it, the outside. >> delicious >> that was one heck of a tour >> yeah. even though we weren't able to get off the bus, i feel like we

got a -- >> wait, we got a taste of tokyo. we got some sights, we got some sounds >> all right let's call it a day. >> all right >> wow we did a lot >> we were busy. >> we did squeeze in a lot tokyo is a beautiful city. >> it really is. >> maybe next time -- we did hf >> tokyo under glass >> we did have a whiff of desperation. we were like, hello. >> that was something else it was after the frapaccino. up next, an accessory being sported by team usa and why it's freaking out a lot of people freaking out a lot of people back home. that was another way, i would smoke once an hour- that didn't work either. all that would happen at some point in the day, i would end up doubling up. umm, other ways that i'd try to quit was, umm, i'd stop buying cigarettes totally. but if i took three puffs off of, like, fifteen friends', those didn't count. because they weren't my cigarettes and they weren't full cigarettes. [laughs]

ya know, i went through a lot.

well well, we're back with talking tokyo. it's all about those special little moments from the olympics >> we do like these. l

>> it's lydia jacoby rib remember her fell in love with her. she won gold on monday it turns out she swam with a special pair of goggles and they actually belong to a former olympian it turns out her pink eyewear, it's a sweet hand me down from two-time olympic medalist jessica hardy meichtry she revealed on twitter how the goggles were passed down, writing, "met this girl hosting a clinic at her home pool in alaska five years ago and she's still racing in my goggles go get them, lydia." >> that's cool >> those are some lucky goggles. >> next up, how about we take a look at this accessory we all have them here. this is an accessory that has a lot of folks talking we're talking about team usa's face masks you've probably seen these, the large, boxy face coverings they're drawing a lot of attention online in fact, they're creeping out some people. fans saying they remind them of

a famous movie villain there he is. the nike issued protective gear bears a striking resemblance -- one person joking on twitter, team usa masks for the podium look like the medalists are about to close off gotham's bridges and become allies with darkness that's not all, though apparently others think the mask channel "silence of the lambs. >> let's have a really nice keyante. >> writing getting real hanfibal lechtor vibes from the masks >> they're very super thick. >> they look fierce. >> i know. i like them. all right, guys, how about an accessory that is a little more permanent we are talking about tattoos they are out, they are in the spotlight. many of the athletes showing off a set of olympic rings inked on their bodies

on the board, in the gymnastics arena, in the boxing ring. fans are all taking notice and, you know, the funny thing is, guys, in tokyo, tattoos are somehow -- they're kind of taboo. they're often banned banned from beaches, gyms and pools. so i think that's interesting. it's like a maya angelou quote. tattoo on her collarbone that says "and then i rise. it's like a maya angelou quote it's beautiful >> actually, i learned in the opening ceremony with an international athlete who actually, when he qualified had tokyo 2020 tattooed on him and then the games were postponed a year but -- >> we're still calling it tokyo 2020 >> lucky for him yeah finally, you've all heard of sibling rivalry. out of the 613 members of team usa, there are seven sets of siblings you have phillip and ryan chu from california just finishingy carrying on with their run competing in the men's badmitton doubles and aria and mackenzy fisher. these sisters are in the pool competing in women's water polo in tokyo >> and we have the hurley

sisters back for women's fencing. the fourth olympic appearance for sisters. this is their third time in the games. >> jessica and nelly korda are going to step on the golf course next week for the women's individual stroke play brothers and students at ohio state university henry and jackson leverett, they've set four usa shooting national records. they will both be competing in the men's 25 meter rapid-fire pistol competition and that's on sunday >> and you've got midfielders and sisters kristie and samantha mewis, they're taking the field for women's soccer >> and erik and kawika shoji are known affectionately as the brojies. their second olympic appearance on the volleyball court. so congratulations to all of those athletes and their families >> i like the brojis that's cool. >> how about a boost

>> have y'all missed the boost watching the olympics is inspiring the young athletes of tomorrow this little girl, she's a big fan of synchronized diving she walks out to the end of the imaginary springboard, holds her pose and after a few bounces, boing, boing, she launches herself and she makes the perfect entry on to the living room carpet. this future star knows she needs to chalk up those hands if you want to lift weights after she raises the bar over her head, go, girl, raises her arms in victory. we should point out that that filipino woman, she won the very first medal for their country that they've ever won before so, congrats anyway, how cool is that >> inspiring a whole generation of weight lifters, too we're back with much more here in tokyo. here in tokyo.

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we are back and, al, we have some birthdays to celebrate. >> olympic birthdays first up, happy 103rd birthday to kay gakowski of owensville, missouri she says the secret to her longevity, eating popcorn. way to go, kay lewis bishop of saginaw, michigan, is 100 if he isn't inside feeding his fish, you'll catch louis out in the yard watering his plantings. dapper young man the yard happy 100th birthday to andy bosko. he served during world war ii. we salute your service ida may davis is from norfolk, virginia a selfless lady who rocks a hat. she is she is celebrating 100 years. her secret to longevity, a cup of decaf coffee every morning. betty rutz is 100, a line dancer from vandalia, michigan. married to the love of her life

for nearly 60 years. and happy 100th birthday to mar jersey, one of the lyles from woodbury, new jersey, one of the first african american librarians to work at the national library of medicine in honor of her service, her photo is displayed in the u.s. health and human services building >> wow before we go, this is nice >> thank you >> the matching jackets. >> it's pretty cold in here. >> it's cold in here and you know how we get cold >> it's fantastic. it's cold enough to hang meat. we love it now back to the olympics, if you cannot get enough of the games, be sure to tune into our live special called "today in tokyo behind the scenes. >> we're going to bring you an exclusive tour of our set, answer your questions. you'll meet our executives oh, and that's pretty worth it and you can see it all tomorrow, 6:00 a.m. on our streaming channel. wow, they gave us a prime spot

6:00 a.m. on today all day." you would think the executives would move it up a little bit. >> tom mazarelli, it's going be your turn. >> they're very funny. >> just ahead on the third hour, we're going to have aly raisman. she's going to join us live. but first, guys, some memorable olympic moments from here in tokyo courtesy of our g. friends at getty images. ♪ ♪

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good morning. 8:56. i'm marc is washington. governor newsom's office explaining his decision to pull his children from a summer camp not requiring masks. critics poent out that this runs counter to state policies and say that photos this week show his kids maskless at camp.

the governor's office states in part that an email was missed stating that the camp would not enforce masking guidance. their kids will no longer be attending. this comes with a new poll number suggesting it is tightening ahead of the recall election. berkeley institute of government study polls show 47% of voters favor recalling newsom. happening now, the first day of school for some bay area students, including schools in brentwood. this is where classrooms are reopening, on the home page what the district is doing to make sure the kids are protected from covid. also on our home page, be prepared to dial back on electrical use at 4:00 p.m. today, state power grid operators are issuing a flex alert due to extreme heat.

proof of vaccination required, where you might have to start showing your status tomorrow in san francisco. >> plus, wildfires now a year-round concern for california. how climate is impacting the state's fire danger tomorrow morning.

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for good.. hive in tokyo, japan, this is a special edition of the third hour of "today" at the olympic games. >> and good morning, everybody. welcome to the third hour of "today" for wednesday, july 28th. i'm here with craig, sheinelle is back in new york with jenna bush hager and jacob. >> good morning to you. >> it is evening here, but there is a lot going on. >> she asked how we were doing. >> oh, we're doing great. in fact, we're in this -- there was threatening weather up top. we don't have any cover. so